Most Memorable Story 2007

[RTK]

Which is the most memorable story or moment this past year for you?


PS - (Don't tell us about your kid's baptism - we're talking news, sports, weather, politics outside of your county)

[Adam L]

Kimi Raikkonen coming from 3rd place in the F1 Drivers Championship standings to clinch the championship in the final race!!! This was after watching him battle back in the second half of the season despite the Ferrari chassis, plagued with mechanical issues. I am glad he won, but I am just as relieved that Lewis Hamilton lost. He is rude, obnoxious and arrogant (not in a good way.) I know that no one else really cares about this, but this saves me from an insufferable Hamilton next year.

I must admit I am a WRC guy at heart, but I have not kept track recently. F1 is in no way what it used to be, but it is certainly entertaining and interesting.

This probably is not my MOST memorable moment, but it ranks up there.

Yes, I am "CAR CRAZY."

Adam L

[SWJED]

For me hands down the top story for 2007 were the developments in Iraq to include the new strategy and the tribal awakening. Regardless of one's stance on what this all means for Iraq's future where we are today would not have been predicted by even the most optimistic amongst us last March - April...

[jcustis]

Kimi Raikkonen coming from 3rd place in the F1 Drivers Championship standings to clinch the championship in the final race!!! This was after watching him battle back in the second half of the season despite the Ferrari chassis, plagued with mechanical issues. I am glad he won, but I am just as relieved that Lewis Hamilton lost. He is rude, obnoxious and arrogant (not in a good way.) I know that no one else really cares about this, but this saves me from an insufferable Hamilton next year.

I must admit I am a WRC guy at heart, but I have not kept track recently. F1 is in no way what it used to be, but it is certainly entertaining and interesting.

This probably is not my MOST memorable moment, but it ranks up there.

Yes, I am "CAR CRAZY."

Adam L

On a serious note, it would probably have to be something Iraq related, but there are so many I can't think of one off the top of my head.

To counter what AdamL said, the most disappointing news was watching my guy Lewis Hamilton miss the appron to pit row and end up parking the car in the gravel in China!

And where do you pick up that he is rude and arrogant?

[Gian P Gentile]

....On a serious note, it would have to be something Iraq related....

To follow jcustis's guidance here is my most memorable story of 2007:

Large reduction in American deaths in Iraq in late 2007 and especially December 2007. Although one can honestly debate the reasons why the reduction all of us can embrace and be most happy with the fact that there are fewer CF casualties in Iraq. Fewer knocks on the door, fewer phone calls to bereaved families shattering their worlds and and leaving them only with silence.

RTK; good thread.

gian

[JeffC]

Certainly one of the most shocking stories of the past year for me was the Virginia Tech massacre; shocking both by the apparent negligence of the school's staff as well as by the shooter's actions.

[Adam L]

On a serious note, it would probably have to be something Iraq related, but there are so many I can't think of one off the top of my head.

To counter what AdamL said, the most disappointing news was watching my guy Lewis Hamilton miss the appron to pit row and end up parking the car in the gravel in China!

And where do you pick up that he is rude and arrogant?

When he got into that fight with Ron Dennis on the radio and in front of the cameras he lost all respect from me. I don't care if you do win the championship the first year out, you are still a rookie and you act like one, especially when you are talking to Ron Dennis (who I feel runs the technical side of the team better than anyone on the circuit on the circuit.) (I should note that I am traditionally a McLaren fan. I would have been happy with Alonso wining, but I felt Raikkonen deserved it after the dealing with an unreliable McLaren chassis and now a Ferrari.) I just don't like his attitude on top of it. He acts as though he is entitled. We'll see if he mellows out, but he just irritates me. I also don't like the fact that anyone is comparing to other great British drivers (Stewart, Moss, etc.) who I feel were far superior to him (probably everyone.) Maybe I'm going hard on him, but I just don't like his, or his fathers attitude.

The reason I posted this was the issue was "memorable moment' not "significant." I see that "significant/noticeable" was more the idea. Also, I thought it was going for a single moment (also, i thought this was a slightly lighter thread considering RTK list of subjects.) If a single moment isn't necessary I will have to go with Gentile. For a single moment I would have to say that this is difficult. The entire year has been filled with prolonged coverage of events from the VT "massacre", Tiger Attacks, Chinese Toxic Toys and now Bhutto's assassination. Are we talking personally memorable/noteworthy or are we talking worldwide memorable/noteworthy?

If it is not a single moment then I feel that the way that our Primaries started in so early (2006) has to be it. For a single moment I have to think a bit harder if we are going to be dead serious.

Adam L

[Adam L]

To counter what AdamL said, the most disappointing news was watching my guy Lewis Hamilton miss the appron to pit row and end up parking the car in the gravel in China!

And where do you pick up that he is rude and arrogant?

Remember when Tiger Woods popped up and won everything in the PGA despite being very young and a rookie. He still acted like a rookie and didn't come off as feeling entitled even though he was. Tiger Woods knew and was a real class act (in great part because of his father who from everything I know was a very good man.)

I am very hard on this generation of F1 drivers. They have had it much easier than even the last. They learned to race in little karts, then bigger karts and then even bigger karts. In the old days these guys learned to drive in real cars without any computer assists and there were no safety devices to save them when they messed up. I doubt most of them could make it in other forms of motor sport. When I go and look at the cars that Lauda, Moss, Fangio, etc. you see the different kind of man it took. You had to understand the workings of the vehicle and be an exceptional driver. Plus, back then it was a very dangerous profession.

I also feel that it has been much easier for the World Champions the last 10 years or so. It has never been such a restricted field of serious competitors. Only Ferrari and McLaren were capable chassis this season. In the old days some of the lesser cars atleast had a chance, and there is certainly some aggressive and capable young talent at BMW and Williams.


Sorry for this long clarification.

Adam L

[jcustis]

Point taken. Perhaps there's a SWC link-up in the works at next year's Montreal grand Prix eh?

[Adam L]

Point taken. Perhaps there's a SWC link-up in the works at next year's Montreal grand Prix eh?

That would be a blast! Cars, beer and mayonaise on everything (including the burgers!!! .) Also, is the an "eh" pronounced eh or A?

Adam L

[skiguy]

1) The remarkable progress in Iraq. To name one specific related item: Petraeus and Crocker's testimony to Congress. (I think that changed, in a good way, a lot of the American public's perception)

2) The N.E. Patriots perfect (thus far) season.

[JJackson]

N.I.E report -anything that knocks the wind out of the sails of those trying to start yet another war gets my vote.